300 Oxbridge academics take stand on fossil fuels

This week, hundreds of Oxbridge academics have signed a statement pushing for “morally sound” action on fossil fuels. The statement also recognises the “looming social, environmental and financial pressures” facing the world if no action is taken.

“Looming”…

Among those who signed the document are Astronomer Lord Rees, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the incoming President of the Royal Society Venki Ramakrishnan.

Alongside the academics, student committees from all colleges passed motions in favour of positive investment.

Cambridge University was praised in the open letter for aiding the creation of the group Positive Investment Cambridge, which campaigns to remove unethical investment funds, and provides a voice for student concerns over climate change.

Angus Satow, the Campaigns Officer of a similar organisation, the Cambridge University Zero Carbon Society, spoke to The Tab:

“We welcome this huge development for the divestment movement. In signing this letter, 250 Cambridge academics have demonstrated that pressure for an ethical, fossil free investment strategy isn’t just coming from students, it’s coming from the entire university.”

Angus, angry at climate change and holding a balloon.

Angus also points towards the fact that, on the same day as the open letter was signed, BP reported its profits more than halving. He sees this as a sign for the untenability of fossil fuels:

“Students support divestment. Academics support divestment. The moral arguments support divestment. The financial arguments support divestment. Faced with these facts, the working group on ethical investment has a clear mandate. The fossil fuel age is over at Cambridge.”

This heady confidence comes off the back of a successful protest last week, when Angus and his cohort took part in their ‘Divestment March’, before popping the symbolic black balloons of climate change.

The Divest Cambridge March really FUELLED debate…

Oxbridge marches on, it seems, towards a fossil fuel-free world. It’s a positive move, with popular support and reason on its side. Let’s hope the world sits up and listens…